It can be tough to find sustainable fashion that is also trendy and fashionable.
This blog post will take you through some of the best ways to start a sustainable wardrobe while avoiding common mistakes that people make in the process.
What is sustainable fashion?
Sustainable fashion is about ethical production and the longevity of clothing. It’s also about minimizing waste, using sustainable materials when possible, and reusing what you already have in your closet to create new outfits that are fashionable!
Sustainable fashion means designing, manufacturing, distributing, and using clothing in ways that will protect the planet.
Ethical fashion is currently a relevant term in the conscious consumerism world and refers to clothing made using processes that value social welfare and worker rights.
For vegans, ethical fashion may also refer to avoiding leather and animal fibers in the clothing.
Because environmentalism goes hand in hand with socially equitable practices, ethical and sustainable fashion are intricately tied together.
Why should you care about sustainable fashion?
If we didn’t care about sustainable fashion, we would need to produce about 20 billion new pieces of clothing by 2050. That’s a lot of unnecessary waste and energy!
The world is filling up with a lot of waste materials and clothes, and some people are trying to change the world by making sustainable fashion.
The clothes you buy today will be in your closet for at least two years, if not more! So why not get started with eco-friendly and reusable fashion?
For example, Shoes that last 20-plus years or a dress made from recycled materials.
How do I start a sustainable wardrobe?
Start by buying items that you will wear a lot. Items like jeans, tees, and nice dresses are classic pieces of an eco-friendly fashion wardrobe.
When you buy these high-quality items, they last longer than less expensive clothing and can be reused for years to come!
Plan your outfits in advance by keeping track of what clothes you have.
1) Have a wardrobe clear-out
Take time to have a clothing clear-out. Often the first step in decluttering your closet is separating clothes into wearable things that you like and that will never be worn again.
To start with fashion, it can be helpful to have piles labeled as ‘keep’ and ‘donate’. When you’re sorting through clothes, ask yourself the question, ‘Would I really wear this?’ If your answer is no, then put it in the donate pile.
Donating your clothes can mean the world to someone. Someone’s favorite item of clothing might be an old t-shirt that you’ve had for a long time!
A quarter of a million tons of clothes are wasted every year, so make sure to donate your old or unwanted clothes. Charities such as charity shops, clothing banks, and recycling centers can all accept donations.
2) Work with what you’ve got
If you’re wondering how to stay fashionable while living an eco-friendly lifestyle, it may be time to fix your clothes instead of buying new ones.
If you want to try new styles, use what you have! Consider creating clothing with clothes that already exist in your closet. It may seem complicated, but it is easy enough to create a casual summer dress out of an old t-shirt.
3) Change your attitude toward shopping
Make your fashion sustainable and perennial. It’s not a quick process, and you’ll need to make small changes that will cumulatively contribute over time.
It can be difficult to find clothes that hold up well over time – even when you go with eco-friendly options. Nevertheless, changing your attitude about shopping will ultimately save you some money in the long run and allow you to avoid contributing to the “fast fashion” culture.
4) Vintage
Vintage clothing is seeing a resurgence in popularity for a good reason. There are all types of reasons why you might want to go vintage, whether it has an unusual piece that reminds you of your childhood or collecting unique pieces from previous styles.
The best part about shopping vintage is that it’s eco-friendly! Shopping for clothes at these vintage stores shows you the amount of money, both in your cost and positive impact on the environment.
Shops like Blue Rinse, Depop, and Etsy are great places to find anything you’re looking for in vintage.
5) Make some rules
To ensure this is a permanent attitude change, make some rules for shopping.
If you enjoy shopping, try to cut down on this and maybe even have a “no shopping” policy.
Another rule would be to set a budget. Setting a budget can help narrow down your options and focus on less expensive ones that lead you to look for used clothes.
When you’re shopping, make sure that you ask yourself, “Do I really need this?” If there is hesitation in your decision-making process, put it back.
What are some common mistakes people make when starting their wardrobe?
There are not enough clothes on the planet that can be said to make you feel good. The key is what each piece of clothing says about your mood and how things affect you emotionally, which should be considered when buying anything.
Avoid it if something doesn’t seem like it would allow for what you need or wear well.
When you have too many clothing options, you will keep spending seconds or even minutes choosing the dress for the day. If you notice, Steve Jobs & Mark Zuckerberg wear the same apparel most of the day; they can make the lesser decision by having the same apparel.
How many times you might have bought things just because they’re on sale? Be mindful about your purchase activity, and you might be able to save money and also have a wardrobe with the necessary clothes.
Go and check your wardrobe; I am sure you have a special piece of cloth, which you save for a ‘special occasion.’ This might or might not happen, but for one rainy day, you might be saving it.
Not understanding what style works for you can be frustrating. If you don’t know your style, how will you be able to manage your wardrobe?
Why most of the fashion today is NOT sustainable
Sustainable fashion is defined as clothing that can be worn more than once and won’t cost the environment. For a sustainable fashion industry to continue, it must operate in ways that can keep producing new clothes for years and decades.
Unfortunately, this is not true of today’s dominant ‘fast fashion,’ which refers to clothing intentionally designed to be consumed quickly at cheap prices.
Fast fashion is unsustainable because it depletes natural resources, exploits workers, and results in pointlessly piling up waste.
In contrast to traditional fashion houses, fast fashion brands may be designed for mindless consumption and create new collections weekly.
Conclusion
This article has helped you get a sustainable fashion wardrobe and avoid basic mistakes.
We hope that this article has helped you understand the key terms of eco-friendly fashion, reusable fashion, and how to start with sustainability in mind.
When it comes down to choosing your next outfit think about what will happen when they’re worn up again and if it’s contributing to the waste problem or not!
Remember, being mindful is one way to be more conscious of our surroundings which can lead us to live an environmentally responsible life 😊🌎❤️✨
